WO2015049555A1 - Système d'exploration et de production modulaire comprenant un navire de service d'essai de puits étendu - Google Patents

Système d'exploration et de production modulaire comprenant un navire de service d'essai de puits étendu Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2015049555A1
WO2015049555A1 PCT/IB2014/000728 IB2014000728W WO2015049555A1 WO 2015049555 A1 WO2015049555 A1 WO 2015049555A1 IB 2014000728 W IB2014000728 W IB 2014000728W WO 2015049555 A1 WO2015049555 A1 WO 2015049555A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
vessel
well
hydrocarbons
exploration
products
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2014/000728
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Keith Millheim
Gabriel DELGADO
Original Assignee
Atlantis Offshore Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Atlantis Offshore Ltd. filed Critical Atlantis Offshore Ltd.
Publication of WO2015049555A1 publication Critical patent/WO2015049555A1/fr

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
    • E21B43/01—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells specially adapted for obtaining from underwater installations
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
    • B63B35/00—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
    • B63B35/44—Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
    • B63B25/00—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby
    • B63B25/002—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby for goods other than bulk goods
    • B63B25/006—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby for goods other than bulk goods for floating containers, barges or other floating cargo
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B19/00—Handling rods, casings, tubes or the like outside the borehole, e.g. in the derrick; Apparatus for feeding the rods or cables
    • E21B19/002—Handling rods, casings, tubes or the like outside the borehole, e.g. in the derrick; Apparatus for feeding the rods or cables specially adapted for underwater drilling
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
    • E21B43/01—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells specially adapted for obtaining from underwater installations
    • E21B43/013—Connecting a production flow line to an underwater well head
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
    • E21B43/12—Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
    • E21B43/34—Arrangements for separating materials produced by the well
    • E21B43/35—Arrangements for separating materials produced by the well specially adapted for separating solids
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
    • E21B43/34—Arrangements for separating materials produced by the well
    • E21B43/40—Separation associated with re-injection of separated materials
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
    • B63H25/00—Steering; Slowing-down otherwise than by use of propulsive elements; Dynamic anchoring, i.e. positioning vessels by means of main or auxiliary propulsive elements
    • B63H25/42—Steering or dynamic anchoring by propulsive elements; Steering or dynamic anchoring by propellers used therefor only; Steering or dynamic anchoring by rudders carrying propellers
    • B63H2025/425—Propulsive elements, other than jets, substantially used for steering or dynamic anchoring only, with means for retracting, or otherwise moving to a rest position outside the water flow around the hull

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to methods and means for safely and efficiently exploiting hydrocarbon reserves, and in a particular though non-limiting embodiment to a modular exploration and production system including an extended well testing service vessel suitable for testing, separating and otherwise assisting in the exploration and production of oil, gas and natural gas reserves.
  • the platform or installation does not have space for storing fluids or simple test separators. In most cases there are no production lines through which the products can be sent for subsequent treatment. Consequently the effluents must be sent to a burner where the products are burned off, thereby resulting in environmental damage and inadvertent incineration of products with high commercial value such as crude oil and natural gas.
  • Prior Art Figure 4 depicts an example configuration in which the mixture received from the well or oil installation (1) goes to the vessel (3) through an interconnection system (2).
  • the mixture then goes to a conventional separation equipment unit (4) from which gas, oily water and crude are obtained; the gas (5) is sent directly to a burner emitting C0 2 and other contaminating particles resulting from incineration; oily water (6) is poured back into the sea without being separated or processed, thereby carrying with it a large amount of hydrocarbons; crude oil (7) is sent to a distribution and pumping system (8); and if the installation, platform or ship does not have space for storing the crude, it can be sent through a line (9) to an incineration system (1 1) as described above. In most cases diesel and/or compressed air (10) are added to achieve combustion.
  • FIG 1 is a plan view of a modular exploration and production system that is self- tensioning by means of an adjustable buoyancy chamber.
  • FIGS. 2A and 2B are side views of an offshore exploration and production system in which an adjustable buoyancy chamber is employed to adjust the height or depth of an associated well terminal member.
  • FIGS. 3A and 3B are side views of an offshore exploration and production system, in which lateral and vertical forces on an adjustable buoyancy chamber are held approximately constant while the height of an associated well terminal member is adjusted by releasing additional lengths of tension line.
  • FIG. 4 is a diagram depicting the operation of a traditional oil well system according to the prior art.
  • FIG. 5 is a diagram of an example well test service vessel according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 6 is a side view of an example well test service vessel suitable for use in accord with the present invention.
  • FIG. 7 is a plan view of an extended well test service vessel disposed in proximate communication with a self-tensioning modular exploration and production system according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 8 is a plan view of an extended well test service vessel disposed in proximate communication with a field of self-tensioning modular exploration and production system according to the present invention, configured such that the service vessel can readily navigate between and amongst neighboring individual modular exploration and production systems.
  • An offshore exploration and production system including an extended well test service vessel including at least: a modular exploration and production system disposed in communication with an offshore well, the modular exploration and production system further comprising one or more adjustable buoyancy chambers and a lower connecting member disposed between the offshore well and the one or more adjustable buoyancy chambers; and an extended well test service vessel including at least: means for positioning said vessel into proximate communication with modular exploration and production system; interconnecting the vessel and the modular exploration and production system with means for loading and discharging hydrocarbons obtained from the well; separating the hydrocarbons into a plurality of constituent products; and discharging the products separated from the hydrocarbons into a storage means.
  • a method of using an extended well test service vessel in coordination with a modular exploration and production system including at least: positioning the vessel into proximate communication with the modular exploration and production system; interconnecting the vessel and the modular exploration and production system with means for loading and discharging hydrocarbons obtained from an associated offshore well; separating the hydrocarbons into a plurality of constituent products; and discharging the products separated from the hydrocarbons into a storage means.
  • an offshore exploration and production system comprising a well casing 2 installed in communication with a submerged well 1 and an adjustable buoyancy chamber 9, wherein a lower connecting member 5 is disposed between the well casing and the adjustable buoyancy chamber.
  • the well 1 is accessed from above by means of a well hole 3 that has been bored into an associated sea floor surface.
  • a well casing 2 is set into the hole in a firm and secure manner, and then cemented into place using known downhole technology.
  • a well casing is securely set into the well hole 3, and a fluid transport member, such as a smaller-diameter pipe or pipe casing, is inserted into well casing 2. Once a desired fit has been achieved, the outer surface of the fluid transport member is cemented or set with a packer to the inner surface of the well casing.
  • a well isolation member 4 is disposed between well casing 2 and a lower connecting member 5.
  • well isolation member 4 comprises one or more ball valves, which, if lower connecting member 5 is removed, can be closed so that the well is effectively shut in.
  • well isolation member 4 comprises a blowout preventer or a shear ram that can be maintained in either an open or closed position in order to provide access to, or to instead shut in, the contents of well 1.
  • lower connecting member 5 further comprises one or more receiving members disposed to receive an attachment member disposed on well isolation member 4.
  • lower connecting member 5 comprises an attachment member for attaching said lower connecting member 5 to a receiving member disposed on well isolation member 4.
  • Methods and means of securely fastening lower connecting member 5 to well isolation member 4 are known to those of ordinary skill in the art, and may comprise one or more of a wide variety of fastening techniques, e.g., hydraulic couplers, various nut and bolt assemblies, welded joints, pressure fittings (either with or without gaskets), swaging, etc., without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention.
  • lower connecting member 5 may comprise any known connecting means appropriate for the specific application contemplated by operators.
  • lower connecting member 5 comprises one or more of segments of riser, riser pipe, and/or pipe casing.
  • lower connecting member 5 comprises a concentric arrangement, for example, a fluid transport member having a smaller outer diameter than the inner diameter of a pipe casing in which the fluid transport member is housed.
  • lower connecting member 5 is disposed in communication with one or more lateral stabilizers 6, which, when deployed in conjunction a plurality of tension lines 7, effectively controls horizontal offset of the system.
  • lower connecting member 5 is drawn taut and held in a stable position.
  • one or more stabilizers 6 control horizontal offset of lower connecting member 5, and the height or depth of an associated well terminal member 14 is adjusted by varying the length of upper connecting member 12.
  • the vertical tension of lower connecting member 5 is held approximately constant while the height or depth of well terminal member 14 is adjusted.
  • the height or depth of well terminal member 14 is held approximately constant, while the vertical tension imparted by adjustable buoyancy chamber 9 on lower connecting member 5 is adjusted.
  • the height or depth of well terminal member 14 and the vertical tension applied to lower connecting member 5 are held approximately constant, while lateral adjustments are performed using lateral stabilizer 6 and one or more of tension lines 7.
  • one or more lateral tension lines 7 are individually adjustable, whereas in other embodiments, the tension lines 7 are collectively adjustable. In further embodiments, one or more tension lines 7 are both individually and collectively adjustable. In still further embodiments, the one or more lateral stabilizers 6 are disposed in communication with a tension measuring means, so that a fixed or predetermined amount of lateral tension can be applied to lower connecting member 5 in order to better control system offset. In some embodiments, the tension lines 7 are anchored to the sea floor by means of an anchoring member 8, for example, a suction type anchor, or alternatively, a mechanical or conventional deadweight type anchor.
  • an anchoring member 8 for example, a suction type anchor, or alternatively, a mechanical or conventional deadweight type anchor.
  • adjustable buoyancy chamber 9 is approximately annular in shape, so that lower connecting member 5 can be passed through a void longitudinally disposed in a central portion of the device.
  • adjustable buoyancy chamber 9 further comprises a plurality of inner chambers.
  • each of the chambers is independently operable, and different amounts of air or gas (or another fluid) are disposed in the chambers to provide greater adjustable buoyancy control.
  • adjustable buoyancy chamber 9 further comprises a fluid ballast that can be ejected from the chamber, thereby achieving greater chamber buoyancy and lending additional vertical tension to lower connecting member 5.
  • fluid ballast can be used to increase or retard buoyancy; for example, compressed air is an appropriate fluid that is both inexpensive and readily available.
  • adjustable buoyancy chamber 9 further comprises a ballast input valve 15a, so that a fluid ballast can be injected into the chamber from an external source, for example, through an umbilical line run to the surface or a remote operated vehicle, so that an operator can deliver a supply of compressed gas to the chamber via the umbilical, thereby adjusting buoyancy characteristics as desired.
  • the fluid input valve is disposed in communication with one or more pumps or compressors, so that the fluid ballast is delivered to the chamber under greater pressure, thereby effecting the desired change in buoyancy more quickly and reliably.
  • adjustable buoyancy chamber 9 further comprises a ballast output valve 15b, so that ballast can be discharged from the chamber.
  • ballast output valve 15b so that ballast can be discharged from the chamber.
  • the chamber will become more buoyant and increase vertical tension on lower connecting member 5. Conversely, if water or another heavy liquid is injected into the chamber while air is bled out, the chamber will lose buoyancy, thereby lessening vertical tension on lower connecting member 5.
  • the ballast output valve is disposed in communication with one or more pumps or compressors, so that ballast is ejected from the chamber in a more reliable and controlled manner.
  • the ballast output valve is disposed in communication with an umbilical, so that ballast ejected from the chamber can be recovered or recycled at the surface.
  • a principal advantage of the present invention is that adjustments to the chamber's buoyancy and tensioning properties, and the ability to control the height of the well terminal member 14, can be performed at any time during either exploration or production, due to the various ballast input and output control means disposed about the body of the chamber.
  • adjustable buoyancy chamber 9 is further disposed in communication with one or more tension lines 10 provided to anchor the adjustable buoyancy chamber to the sea floor.
  • tension lines 10 are anchored to the sea floor using known anchoring technology, for example, suction anchors or dead weight type anchors, etc.
  • the one or more tension lines 10 can also provide additional lateral stability for the system, especially during operations in which more than one well is being worked.
  • the one or more tension lines 10 are run from the adjustable buoyancy chamber 9 to the surface, and then moored to other buoys or a surface vessel, etc., so that even greater lateral tension and system stability are achieved.
  • the tension lines 10 are individually adjustable, whereas in other embodiments, the tension lines 10 are collectively controlled.
  • the one or more tension lines 10 are both individually and collectively adjustable.
  • adjustable buoyancy chamber 9 is disposed in communication with a vertical tension receiving member 1 1.
  • the vertical tension receiving member 11 is equipped with a tension measuring means (e.g., a load cell 16, strain gauge, etc.), so that vertical tension applied to lower connecting member 5 is imparted in a more controlled and efficient manner.
  • the buoyant force applied to tension receiving member 1 1 is adjusted by varying the lengths of tension lines 10, while the buoyancy of adjustable buoyancy chamber 9 is held approximately constant.
  • the buoyancy of adjustable buoyancy chamber 9 is controlled by means of one or more individually selectable ballast exhaust ports disposed about the body of the chamber, which vent excess ballast fluid to the surrounding sea.
  • the open or closed state of the ballast exhaust ports are individually controlled using port controllers known to those of ordinary skill in the art (e.g., plugs, seacocks, etc.).
  • the system is disposed so that a well terminal member 14 installed above buoyancy chamber 9 is submerged to a depth at which maintenance and testing can be carried out by SCUBA divers using lightweight, flexible diving equipment, for example, at a depth of about 100 to 300 feet beneath the surface.
  • the well terminal member 14 is submerged only to the minimum depth necessary to provide topside access to the hulls of various surface vessels servicing the well, meaning that well terminal member 14 could also be disposed at a much shallower depth, for example, a depth of about 50 to 100 feet.
  • well terminal member 14 is disposed at depths of less than 50 feet, or greater than 300 feet, depending upon the actual conditions surrounding operations.
  • well terminal member 14 is disposed either at the surface or above the surface of the water, and a blowout preventer or a production tree is installed by workers operating aboard a service platform or surface vessel.
  • This "damp tree” or “wet tree” model avoids the need to assemble long subsurface riser stacks, as would generally be required during deepwater operations.
  • disposing the well terminal member at or near the surface also permits testing and maintenance to be carried out by SCUBA divers or surface crews, without the need for expensive and time-consuming remote operated vehicle operations.
  • well terminal member 14 further comprises either a blowout preventer or a production tree. In a presently preferred embodiment, however, well terminal member 14 further comprises a combined blowout preventer and production tree assembly configured so as to facilitate simplified well intervention operations.
  • lower connecting member 5 terminates within the void formed in a center portion of the annular chamber 9, at which point an upper connecting member 12 becomes the means by which fluids are transported up to the wellhead.
  • lower connecting member 5 does not terminate within the void formed in a center portion of the annular chamber, but instead runs through the void and is subsequently employed as an upper connecting member 12 disposed between the chamber and the wellhead.
  • a vertical tension receiving member 11 is disposed between the buoyancy chamber 9 and upper connecting member 12, so that the chamber's buoyant forces are transferred to the vertical tension receiving means 1 1, thereby applying vertical tension to the drilling or production string extended below the chamber.
  • upper connecting member 12 further comprises a well isolation member 13, e.g., one or more ball valves or blowout preventers, used to halt fluid flow in the event that well terminal member 14 is either removed or disabled, for example, during testing and maintenance operations.
  • a well isolation member 13 e.g., one or more ball valves or blowout preventers, used to halt fluid flow in the event that well terminal member 14 is either removed or disabled, for example, during testing and maintenance operations.
  • well terminal member 14 can be equipped with a production tree so that a production hose disposed on a surface vessel can be attached to the system and production can commence.
  • well terminal member 14 can terminate in a blowout preventer, so that the well will not blow out during drilling operations.
  • well terminal member 14 terminates in a combined production tree and blowout preventer assembly to facilitate simplified well intervention operations.
  • a system and method of establishing a height-variable well terminal member comprising a lower fluid transport pipe 21, an inner well casing 22, an outer well casing 23, and a wellhead 24.
  • a well isolation member 25 is disposed above the wellhead 24, so that the well can be closed off or shut in if desired.
  • well isolation member 25 further comprises one or more ball valves that can be adjustably opened or closed as desired by an operator.
  • a lower connecting member 26 having one or more interior seals 27 and an interior polished bore 28 houses a fluid transport member 29 such that the height of fluid transport member 29 is variably adjustable within a body portion of lower connecting member 26 in response to vertical lifting forces imparted by adjustable buoyancy chamber 30.
  • Various lengths of pipe define the height of an upper connecting member disposed between the buoyancy chamber 30 and a well terminal member 36.
  • an upper well isolation member 35 such as a ball valve or a blowout preventer, is disposed in communication with the upper connecting member between buoyancy chamber 30 and well terminal member 36.
  • the system is moored to the sea floor using one or more mooring lines 31 connected to a first vertical tension receiving means 32a, while buoyancy chamber 30 is raised or lowered by either spooling-out or reeling-in lengths of one or more tension lines 37 disposed between a second vertical tension receiving means 32b and a chamber height adjustment means 33.
  • adjustable buoyancy chamber 30 rises, vertical tension is applied to vertical tension receiving member 34, which in turn lifts well terminal member 36 up toward the surface.
  • the height of both the well terminal member 36 and fluid transport member 29 are vertically adjusted by increasing the length of tension lines 37 using chamber height adjustment means 33, even as vertical and lateral tension on mooring lines 31 and tension lines 37 remains approximately constant.
  • vertical tension on lower connecting member 26 is also kept approximately constant during this process, since fluid transport member 29 is moved vertically within a body portion of lower connecting member 26.
  • a second, lower adjustable buoyancy chamber is added to the system to maintain tension on lower connecting member 26, while the height of the well terminal member is adjusted as described above.
  • a particularly effective solution for efficiently recovering hydrocarbons from a field includes integration of a modular exploration and production system comprising one or more wells disposed in communication with one or more self-standing riser systems together with a well test service vessel selectively and variably designed and equipped to fulfill the field's entire range of operational needs.
  • the well test service vessel will facilitate reception, separation, storage, offloading and reinjection of products received from a well in a safe, efficient and environmentally friendly manner, without requiring the size and full outfitting of a floating production and storage offtake vessel.
  • a single well test service vessel is used in conjunction with a field of neighboring self-standing riser systems to serially test well and production processes, thereby resulting in project-scaled synergies between drilling, production and testing assets that lead to cleaner, more cost-effective recovery of higher quality yields.
  • a well test vessel is positioned in the immediate vicinity of a well (1) or installation where service is required.
  • the vessel is first equipped with propulsion systems that enable it to operate in a mode known in the industry as dynamic positioning.
  • a connection (2) between the vessel and the well is made by high- pressure flexible piping through which the mixture from the well flows.
  • the flow can then be received through a system of control valves or choke valves (3).
  • the separation and measuring comprises a plurality of phases, and results in the capture of a plurality of related products such as crude oil, natural gas, solids, chemical and solid wastes and sundry contaminants.
  • the oily water (6) is sent to a system that measures the content of contaminant particles (primarily hydrocarbons).
  • the content has a percentage that is lower than required by international or other appropriate governing standards, the water can be poured into the sea (7). If on the other hand the percentage of contaminants exceeds acceptable standards, the content is stored in tanks on the vessel for subsequent disposal (8), either by discharging at treatment terminals or injection into industrial waste wells.
  • gas (9) is measured, quantified and analyzed for its properties, and then measured and treated (10) as necessary.
  • the gas is conditioned and tested for its characteristics or properties, and if considered appropriate, can be used to supply the mechanical or electrical power generation systems that the operation of the vessel requires, i.e., it will be utilized to generate electric energy (1 1). If the gas does not fulfill the required characteristics for the electricity generation system, it will be sent to the burner for incineration (12). In the event its pressure is greater than that of the well or production line, it can be transferred (13) to the production line or to an associated well. This latter approach also admits to compression of the gas for secondary commercial use.
  • solid residues and chemical wastes are stored in containers or the like that are sent to onshore facilities for subsequent treatment and/or confinement according to governing environmental standards. From an environmental perspective it is ideal that no solid residue be dumped into the sea or incinerated.
  • the crude oil or petroleum (14) is measured and characterized (15) and can be sent to the tanks on board the vessel for temporary storage (16) and subsequent discharge, or it can be reintegrated in hydrocarbon pipelines if available (17), or discharged into a support vessel, or a marine or onshore terminal. [0058] in such manner, the principles of environmental conservation are achieved, since other than the exceptional cases in which the gas is incinerated, no other product is incinerated, unlike traditional systems in which virtually all of the products are incinerated.
  • the vessel should be capable of carrying out one or more of: (1) receiving product from a drilling, exploration and/or production platform or installation through interconnected piping between the installation and the vessel, and sending process flow from the well to a processing plant installed on a deck of the vessel; (2) separating gas, crude oil, water, reaction or waste products and solids into primary phases using multiphase separators; (3) conditioning products for final disposal using equipment installed on the vessel; such conditioning can include measuring, testing, chemical neutralization, dehydration, injection of inhibitors, filtering, compression of the products, etc.; (4) storing liquids in tanks disposed on the vessel, or in the case of stabilized or dehydrated crude oil transferring to the line for export to a marine or onshore terminal, or to a support vessel; in the case of oily water or production water, storage space should be provided for storing such waters prior to injection into wells or other facilities intended for receiving industrial wastes; (5) storing the solid waste
  • one or more of the following basic constituent products are to be expected in the yield: (1) crude oil; (2) natural gas (sour or sweet), which may contain contaminants such as N 2 , C0 2 and H 2 S, amongst others; (3) oily water, such as drilling or formation water resulting from separation of a mixture generally carrying the oily residues, solids, chemicals and drilling mud among other products; in the case of marine wells, there may also be a large quantity of salts and minerals; (4) solids, such as well drilling or maintenance cuttings, drilling mud, sand and clay; (5) liquid contaminants, such as diesel fluids, acids, aromatic hydrocarbons to stimulate flow, as well as gases such as N 2 and C0 2 among others; a mixture that vents from the well once it has reacted, is received as spent acids.
  • natural gas sour or sweet
  • oily water such as drilling or formation water resulting from separation of a mixture generally carrying the oily residues, solids, chemicals and drilling mud among other products
  • salts and minerals in the case of marine
  • the separation process is accomplished by means of one or more multiphase separators and flow control valves.
  • the separators are designed to receive the mixture and separate all of the principal components. In such manner the mixture flows through various stages until the desired levels of separation are obtained.
  • Those of skill in the pertinent arts will appreciate that the exact number of separators and type equipment installed on the vessel will vary by operational need, depending on the final parameters required (percentage of water, salinity and oil, and percentage of solids).
  • each of the five principal components is disposed of in the following manner: (1) Crude Oil
  • the characteristics and volumes of the crude are measured, and it is then stored in tanks on the vessel for subsequent reintegration or exportation to a product pipeline to some offshore installation or platform.
  • the transfer of crude can be achieved by transfer pumps and/or export pumps or the like.
  • the crude can be conditioned by filtering and/or dehydration prior to export or transfer.
  • the filtering apparatus can be equipped with cyclone, electrostatic or centrifugal separators with thermal treatment to eliminate the residues of water and solids.
  • the conditioning can be accomplished by one or more of gas treatment units, centrifugal and/or coalescent equipment, among others.
  • the conditioning can also be achieved with the retention of the crude emulsified with water inside the tanks of the vessel, i.e., the water is deposited at the bottom.
  • receptor well for receiving contaminated products, in which case all liquid residues, oily and/or acid or contaminated waters are injected in the subsoil at the bottom of the sea.
  • the vessel has pumps of suitable capacity for discharging the products into wells dedicated for this purpose.
  • the fluids are filtered to prevent large size solids from damaging the formation of the industrial waste well.
  • filters that are suitable in size and number, with appropriate strainer screens to avoid the injection of solids.
  • (e) Discharge at a marine or onshore terminal.
  • the vessel is capable of sailing to a port terminal or other facility where the oily water or production water is discharged to confinements or specialized treatment.
  • Contaminating liquids that may occur in servicing a well such as aromatic acids, diesel, etc.
  • the technical objective of the vessel is to receive the mixture from the well and then carry out the separation and disposal of the principal products, which must be stored and/or discharged for final disposal.
  • the ship's activities are therefore broken down into at least five discrete steps in order to better describe a non-exhaustive inventory of appropriate components of the vessel. In one particular though non-limiting embodiment, those five steps are:
  • Step 1 Positioning of the ship.
  • Step 2 Interconnection for loading and discharging.
  • Step 3 Separation of the products.
  • Step 4 Storing the products.
  • Step 5 Discharging the products.
  • Step 1 Positioning of the ship.
  • the ship is moved using a propulsion system based on propellers or thrusters, and installed so as to allow free 360° or azimuth movement, and in any direction.
  • the thrusters can vary in type and arrangement, and can be located at any position along the length and width of the vessel, or any combination thereof.
  • the configuration of thrusters will be dictated by the desired positioning class. For this category of vessel, it is desirable (though not necessarily required) there be a combination of thrusters that allow it to provide service according to Class 2 Dynamic Positioning (DP-2), in other words, redundant propulsion and positioning systems.
  • DP-2 Dynamic Positioning
  • the requirements for complying with DP-2 Classification are indicated by the relevant classification society.
  • the dynamic positioning system comprises various components, among the most important of which are transverse, longitudinal and/or directional azimuth thrusters located at the stern and/or bow, or any combination thereof.
  • transverse, longitudinal and/or directional azimuth thrusters located at the stern and/or bow, or any combination thereof.
  • a DP-2 dynamic positioning system regulates the operation of the propulsion systems by means of external reference systems, whether satellite support, radar systems, radio, hydro- acoustic or weights and cables at the bottom of the sea, etc., to maintain the vessel in the selected position and course.
  • the equipment and components comprising the parts of the system should likewise comply with the requirements of the relevant classification society.
  • Step 2 Interconnection for loading and discharging.
  • connection/disconnection point must be located, which in general could be one of two types: (a) a surface connection, located above the well or sea level, sometimes known as a “dry head;” or (b) an underwater connection, located below sea level, sometimes known as a “damp head” or a “wet head.”
  • a flow and pressure choke package can be installed comprised of a plurality of regulator valves.
  • this package has a system of flow shutoff valves in case of emergency or loss of control of the well.
  • said system is connected electrically and by instrumentation to the emergency shutdown systems, and has a head for recording data including pressure, speed, temperature of the fluids and/or products, as well as records for sampling of production, and, if necessary, points for injection of chemicals.
  • the flexible piping installed on the vessel is connected such that it is capable of receiving and discharging the products.
  • the vessel can have one or more flexible pipes, depending on the need to provide two or more services simultaneously ⁇ e.g., importing and exporting).
  • the flexible pipes are run through special openings or chutes to protect them from friction and wear that may occur with the yawing of the vessel. Said openings or systems are installed in line with the flexible pipes of the vessel.
  • hoses are run through an opening in the hull known as a moon pool. In this case the hoses are run through the interior of the moon pool toward the well connection. This type of connection is especially convenient for underwater or wet head type connections.
  • Both the quick-connect pipe and the flexible piping are designed to withstand high pressures expected from the well. Nevertheless, in order to protect the installation and the vessel itself, the systems of flexible pipes are equipped with a quick connect system known as QCDC (quick connect/disconnect), and emergency valves.
  • QCDC quick connect/disconnect
  • a QCDC is a dual valve device that prevents the spill or escape of products in the event of accidental disconnection; as those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize, bi-directional valves are generally useful for this purpose.
  • auxiliary services and service fluids between the vessel and the installation being serviced; this system of transmitting services is known as the umbilical system, and water, compressed air, inert gas, electricity, instrumentation and control signals, chemicals for injection, among other things, can be sent through a composite connector composed of hoses and electrical cables and instrumentation from the vessel to the well connection.
  • the package of choke or control valves cannot be installed on the installation due to a lack of space.
  • this package is permanently installed on one of the processing decks of the vessel.
  • Step 3 Separation of the products.
  • the mixture or stream from the platform is imported to the vessel by the interconnection system described above, and is processed in the array of separation and conditioning equipment.
  • the purpose of this step is to achieve the separation of the mixture in such a way that end products of oily water, solid residues, gas, chemical residues and crude oil can be obtained.
  • the combination of separators, conditioning equipment, pumps, pipes, valves, sensors, systems, etc., is called sometimes called the processing plant.
  • the location of these separation and conditioning components is on a deck of the vessel called the "processing deck,” generally located above the main deck of the vessel.
  • the deck is disposed at least 10 feet (3 m) over the cargo tanks, so that the separation and conditioning equipment are not installed directly on the main deck of the vessel.
  • the deck can be provided with skirting to contain spills and water to prevent products from falling onto other decks, structures or into the sea in case of an emergency spill or leak in any of the processing plant components.
  • the processing plant deck has an open drainage system for evacuating possible spills and leaks. Moreover, rainwater passes through this fluid collection and measurement system, which can detect contaminant particles as well as determine the possibility of dumping it into the sea or treating it as oily water and injecting it into industrial waste wells.
  • a non-exhaustive recitation of equipment suitable for comprising the processing plant includes one or more of: multiphase separators; chemical and conditioner injection packages; devices for measuring temperature, pressure and flow for each of the streams, whether mixed or separated; flotation units; gas scrubbing units; cyclones or centrifugal separators; oil treatment units; electrostatic treatment units; systems for acquiring and recording processing information in real-time, e.g., a computerized system comprising sensors that measure flow, temperature, pressure, viscosity, etc., which are installed throughout the processing plant and collect information regarding the processing in real-time; systems for conditioning and using gas for generating power; and means for transferring other products obtained in the separation step (e.g., crude oil, gas, solids, oily water, etc.) to an associated storage and treatment system.
  • Step 4 Storage of products.
  • processing head is an array of interconnected pipes and valves used to distribute products and residues.
  • the head is typically comprised of gate valves and control valves and associated accessories and piping, and is located between the main deck and the processing deck, thereby interconnecting the processing plant with the vessel's storage tanks.
  • the crude oil is generally sent to the vessel's cargo tanks. This step can be achieved by means of transfer pumps installed in each of the multiphase separators.
  • transfer pumps installed in each of the multiphase separators.
  • the vessel's tanks are provided with discharge pumps installed in the bottom of the tank, or with suction in the lowest part to allow transfer of the stabilized crude oil between the tanks for purposes of stability of the vessel, thereby recirculating it through heat exchangers to make it possible to maintain viscosity under appropriate conditions and avoid the solidification of the products, in particular in low API gravity or high viscosity oils; or, for transfer to another support vessel or pumping with higher power equipment, to send the oil to export pipelines if they are available at the installation, and to inject it into a receptor or industrial waste well.
  • the storage of oily water can comprise dedicated tanks, or it can be stored in tanks intended for the storage of crude oil. Solids and chemical residues on the other hand can easily be stored in one or more dedicated tanks located on the main deck.
  • the cargo tanks are generally considered one of the most hazardous spaces of a vessel, because in addition to storing the separation products, they can have gas in emulsion that will be released over time, thereby generating pressure inside the tanks. Consequently, devices and auxiliary systems are required to control and eliminate explosive and/or hazardous conditions of the storage tanks.
  • the basic principle for eliminating the risk is by the displacement of the 0 2 oxygen that the tanks and pipes of the vessel's processing plant may contain.
  • inertization system which consists of the generation and supply of N 2 nitrogen, steam, C0 2 or any other approved inert gas in the tanks, thereby displacing the 0 2 oxygen during the maneuvers of loading or discharging the tanks where the crude oil and/or oily water is stored, as well as in the lines and pipelines of the products. In this manner explosive conditions are avoided.
  • the vessel is capable of receiving low API gravity crude oil (whether heavy or high viscosity crudes). Therefore, a heating system should be installed in each of the tanks in order to maintain the crude oil at an appropriate temperature, thereby reducing the viscosity and allowing it to flow and move.
  • Step 5 Discharging of products.
  • Another means for discharging crude is by discharge to an installation that has discharge lines leading to land or to another installation.
  • This discharge method is typically carried out using the distributor or head by submersible pumps.
  • the fluids can be sent to export pumps located at the level of the main deck.
  • the fluid can then be re-pressured and sent to the installation or pipeline by means of flexible export piping.
  • Yet another discharge method comprises injection into another pre-existing well.
  • injection pump In the relatively rare instance in which injection of crude oil into an oil well is required, it is typically done using an injection pump.
  • the injection pump should be capable of producing a pressure greater than that of the mantle in the subsoil into which the crude oil of the will be injected.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
  • Pipeline Systems (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un système d'exploration et de production modulaire combiné à un navire de service et de test de puits de pétrole, le navire comprenant un équipement destiné à la séparation d'hydrocarbures et/ou de fluides et de solides associés au moyen d'une installation de traitement. Le navire est équipé d'empaquetages d'équipement pour toutes les fonctionnalités requises de manière qu'un fluide reçu de puits, de conduites et d'installations en mer ou dans des eaux intérieures soit traité pour séparer, réguler et manipuler écologiquement le mélange (pétrole brut, gaz, solides, produits chimiques et eaux huileuses ou de production) en une pluralité de phases telles que l'exploration, le forage, la finition, la réparation, la stimulation, la production et la mesure de la production. Dans une combinaison étendue desdites technologies, un seul navire de service d'essai de puits est utilisé conjointement avec un champ de systèmes de colonnes montantes autoportantes voisines pour tester en série des processus de puits et de production, ce qui se débouche sur des synergies à l'échelle du projet entre des équipements de forage et de test qui permettent une récupération plus propre et plus rentable de productions de meilleure qualité.
PCT/IB2014/000728 2013-10-03 2014-05-21 Système d'exploration et de production modulaire comprenant un navire de service d'essai de puits étendu WO2015049555A1 (fr)

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US14/045,182 US20150096760A1 (en) 2013-10-03 2013-10-03 Modular Exploration and Production System Including an Extended Well Testing Service Vessel

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CN106768121A (zh) * 2016-12-29 2017-05-31 重庆科技学院 油气水三相自动计量实验装置
USD876266S1 (en) * 2017-01-18 2020-02-25 Uwis Oy Buoy
CN110566164B (zh) * 2019-10-08 2021-09-10 长江大学 一种海上测试管柱最优产量的确认方法
WO2024044401A1 (fr) * 2022-08-26 2024-02-29 Onesubsea Ip Uk Limited Réinjection de fluide de test de puits sous-marin

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